NEW: All Open Transfer Applications Must go Through the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) - The Application is suitable only for the current school year - Applications reset on June 1st @ midnight for the following school year

The following information details state law and a corresponding district policy with respect to Open Transfers. The Bethany School Board policy was written in accordance with the new law. 

1. Districts are required to accept a transfer if the district's enrollment capacity for a given grade is below the district's capacity for the grade level of the student whose parents are requesting a transfer.

2. School boards set enrollment capacity numbers.

3. District capacity will be published on the district website.

4. School boards have the authority to change the capacity number four times per year at a board meeting prior to the first day of January, April, July, and October. 

5. The 3 things a student transfers to another district can be denied are 

   1. Previous attendance history

   2. Previous discipline history

   3. No room (capacity) at the requested grade level.

6. Children of active military personnel will be granted a transfer regardless of capacity.

7. Parents can apply for a transfer at any time during the school year via the OSDE website.

8. The open transfer list will no longer be purged quarterly. The open transfer list started on June 1, 2023, will remain active for the full school year.

9. Class sizes will remain generally at current class size levels. There could be a slight increase if a new student moves into the district, an active military family wants to transfer in, or an in-district family accepts a foster child. A slight decrease might happen if a student is withdrawn.

10. OSSAA regulations for high school athletes have not changed with respect to transfers. When a high school athlete is admitted on a transfer, per OSSAA regulations, the student-athlete is ineligible for varsity competition for 2 semesters.

11. Parents of students currently on a transfer do not need to reapply or do anything else. Current transfers are grandfathered in and will remain on a year-to-year transfer based on attendance, discipline, and capacity.

1. Parents will go to the Oklahoma State Department of Education website and click on the link "Student Transfer Online Application".

2. Open transfer applications for the 23-24 school year will begin June 1, 2023.

3. Parents will be able to apply for a transfer to Bethany or any other school district, anytime, all year long, on the OSDE website.

4. The application process is now a single-step process.

5. Step 1: Click on the link titled: Transfer Application OSDE. Fill out this requested information. Once you submit this information on the OSDE website you are automatically added by date and time stamp order for the district you requested.

Student Transfers: Subject to certain exceptions provided for by law, the transfer of a student from the district in which the student resides in District shall be granted at any time during the school year unless the requested transfer exceeds the capacity of the grade level sought for each school site within the District. District’s Board will meet by the first day of January, April, July, and October each year to establish the number of transfer students the school has the capacity to accept in each grade level for each school site within the District. The district’s capacity will be published on District’s website and reported to the State Department of Education (“SDE”). The District review each grade level capacity prior to each quarter and those current numbers are shown in a link at the top of this page.

In order for a student to be transferred, the parents of the student must first submit an application form specified by the State Board of Education (“SBE”) to the District Superintendent. If the capacity of a grade level for each school site within the District is insufficient to enroll all eligible students, the District shall select transfer students in the order in which District received the student transfer applications.

A transfer may be denied if it will exceed enrollment capacity, or for student discipline or attendance issues. The district will begin receiving applications for the subsequent school year on or after June 1st each school year. The district will not approve or deny transfer applications until after the board meeting following the Board’s July 1st capacity determination. 

All student transfers are good only for the school year during which the transfer is granted. For all subsequent school years, students already attending school in the District on a transfer will be automatically placed at the top of the applicant list for the following school year. The district may deny the continued transfer of a student based on the same criteria considered for a new transfer, which include capacity, student discipline, and attendance issues.

The transfer will be automatically approved if the grade a student is entitled to pursue is not offered in the student’s resident district. In addition, a student whose parent or legal guardian is employed as a teacher in the District shall be allowed to transfer to the District regardless of capacity.

Any child in the custody of the Department of Human Services (“DHS”) in foster care who is living in the home of a student who transfers to the District may attend the District as provided for by law.

The brother or sister of a student who transfers to the District may attend school in the District so long as the District has the capacity and the brother or sister does not meet the criteria as a basis for denial. Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received by the District and a separate application must be submitted for each student who desires a transfer.

On or before the first day of January, April, July, and October, the Superintendent will file with the SBE and each resident district a statement showing the names of the students who were granted transfers, their resident districts, and their grade levels.

If a transfer request is denied by the District, the parent of the student may appeal the denial to District’s Board within ten (10) days of the notification of the denial as provided for by law and regulation. District’s Board will consider the appeal at its next regularly scheduled board meeting so long as the appeal is received prior to the statutory deadline for posting the Board agenda. If the appeal is not received prior to the deadline for posting the agenda, the Board shall schedule a special meeting to consider the appeal. The appeal process will be paper-only and will take place in executive sessions in order to protect student privacy. During the executive session, the Board will review written documentation from the Superintendent regarding the reasons for the transfer denial and information from the parent/guardian regarding why the transfer should have been approved. The vote to uphold or reject the Superintendent’s transfer denial will be held in an open session.

If the Board upholds the denial, the parent may appeal the denial to the SBE within ten (10) days of the notification of the Board’s decision. The SBE will adopt guidelines for this process.

Special Education and Gifted Education Transfers: Transfers regarding these students will be considered in accordance with the law and SDE regulations.

Military Parent Transfers: Students who are dependent children of a member of the active uniformed military services of the United States on full-time active duty status and students who are the dependent children of a member of the military reserve on active duty orders shall be eligible for admission to the District regardless of its capacity if: a) at least one (1) parent of the student has a Department of Defense issued identification card; and b) at least one (1) parent can provide evidence that he or she will be on active duty status or active duty orders, meaning that the parent will be temporarily transferred in compliance with official orders to another location in support of combat, contingency operation, or a natural disaster requiring the use of orders for more than thirty (30) consecutive days.

Parents or Guardians who live within the Bethany School District Boundaries may report to the District Administration offices for enrollment information or contact the school site offices